Lockheed Altair

[rgroener]

Tim, it doesn't matter if you started this build long time ago. It's great that you picked it up again!
I like those balloon wheels:-)
Keep the news coming.

Roman

[g_kandylakis]

Hi Tim,

That is one beautiful model I remember from old SFA... A good way to start in the new forum...

As then, it looks great !

George

[Tim H]

I have at last finished the stab repair Here are some pics

[Tim H]

I thought I would mention my method for having an adjustable stab. I know people have told me not to bother and as long as all the incidence angles are set right then you can trim with CG and thrustline changes, but I do like to have some adjustment available. I don't know if this is a good method or not. It is probably too heavy really and it may have been tried and rejected by other modellers. But anyway this is what I have done.

You can see in the side photo that the stab sits in the usual triangular slot. it is fixed at the back and the front edge is free to slide up and down. I suppose I could have just made it a tight fit but the front edge rides on two rails which you can see inside the fuse. The rails are cocktail sticks which fit top to bottom in the fuse. you can see the end of one next the tailwheel in the underside photo.

The slot will eventually be covered by a stab fairing once construction is complete.
Tim

[Pete Fardell]

What a neat solution and I shouldn't think it's heavy at all. The whole model is looking very tidy and smooth. Can't wait to see some colour on it!

[rgroener]

Nice solution, have to try that....

[tom arnold]

Tim, I am a little confused on your "cocktail stick" rails. Do you mean that you have 2 vertical sticks that fit into slots in the stab and the friction between the sticks and stab holds the stab in place? Do you not use shims slipped into the triangular slot to lock the stab in place? Is that a carbon fiber axle that is between the stab and elevator that the whole affair rotates on?
Thanks.

[Tim H]

Tom, here are a couple of pics which will, I hope, make things clearer. The fit is indeed a tight friction fit so that during trimming I can make adjustments without having to remove and replace shims I can lock it in place with shims when I am happy with the setup. It is a carbon fibre rod but it is purely for warp prevention. The rear edge of the stab is a tight fit at the narrow end of the triangular slot providing the fulcrum point. The cocktail sticks go through holes in a small sheet area at the stab leading edge.
Tim

[Monz]

Genius solution Tim! The model's looking great too, very clean.

[Tim H]

Tiny progress!
Wheels look more purposeful with a coat of paint.
Beginnings of a dummy engine.